Thursday, November 16, 2017

(OLYMPIA, WA) – A recent decision by the Department of
Natural Resources Board to lock up more than 620-thousand acres of public lands
to protect an endangered coastal seabird could be challenged by state
lawmakers.

Representative Jim Walsh of Aberdeen says Option D chosen by
the DNR Board to protect the marbled murrelet could cripple local economies
along Washington’s coast. Walsh and 11 bipartisan state lawmakers asked the
Board to choose Option B, which would have provided 590 thousand acres of
conservation habitat on public lands.

Walsh says the option chosen by DNR effectively locks up
significantly more acreage from timber harvest.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

(PORTLAND, OR) -- The Bonneville Power Administration has selected Kim Thompson to permanently fill the role as Energy Efficiency vice president. Thompson has been acting in this position since June of 2017.

In making the announcement, BPA Administrator Elliot Mainzer expressed excitement about permanently adding Thompson to his executive team. “Kim has the background and leadership experience to take Energy Efficiency in directions that continue to optimize the program’s success,” said Mainzer. “I am proud of everything the Energy Efficiency program has accomplished, and under Thompson, I am confident BPA and its customers will continue to advance employing innovative energy solutions that save power and enrich lives in the Pacific Northwest.”

Thompson joined BPA in 2009 to lead Energy Efficiency’s marketing and customer engagement function. Three years later, she was promoted to director of BPA’s Energy Efficiency Services, overseeing energy efficiency-specific program, marketing, and engineering departments. Since 2015, Thompson has worked in a series of rotational details serving as acting vice president of Requirements Marketing in BPA’s Power division, acting director of Corporate Strategy and most recently, acting vice president of Energy Efficiency.

“With rapid technological advancements, these are exciting and challenging times for the utility industry as we watch it quickly change around us,” said Senior Vice President of Power Services, Joel Cook. “Kim Thompson’s leadership skills and creativity will be extremely important as BPA works to meet regional energy demands with even greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

Now into its fourth decade, BPA’s Energy Efficiency program is considered world class. With the help of BPA customers, partners and other stakeholders, the EE program continues to outperform its annual goals year after year - more efficiently using clean federal power in our region while saving consumers money.

In her new role, Thompson will manage a diverse portfolio of commercial, industrial, residential, agricultural and federal energy efficiency activities, mostly accomplished through partnerships with BPA customer utilities. She will supervise four branch managers who oversee energy efficiency planning and evaluation, program implementation, contract administration and demand response / distributed energy resources.

Prior to joining BPA, Thompson worked in the technology sector, as a marketing manager and customer relationship manager for Hewlett Packard and as a business analyst for Microsoft.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of California, Davis, a high-school teaching credential from Humboldt State University, and an MBA from Portland State University.

Friday, November 3, 2017

(CENTRALIA, WA) -- We “fall back” Sunday morning as Daylight Saving Time ends and we return to Standard Time. Local fire department officials remind you to change the batteries in your home smoke detectors when you reset your clocks for the time change. Chief Rick Mack with Riverside Fire Authority says having a functioning smoke detector doubles your chance of surviving a home fire. He says should also replace your smoke detectors if they are ten years old or older. Mack also says in addition to having working smoke detectors, you should have an escape plan for getting out of your residence in the event of a fire.

About Me

Joel Myer works at an electrical utility in Washington State.
Prior to his current employment, he worked for nine years at the City of Shelton as Special Projects Coordinator.
In 1992, Joel served a three-month term as an appointed Mason County Commissioner. As far as it is known, he still holds the record for the shortest term for a county commissioner in Washington State.
From 1991 through 1992 Joel worked with Washington State University Cooperative Extension, where he conducted an extensive study of the special forest products industry and its economic value to the Pacific Northwest.
From 1980 to 1991 he was News Director at KMAS Radio in Shelton.
Joel is a 1991 graduate of the Evergreen State College, where his focus of study was economics.
Joel Myer is one of the 2018 award winners, Foundation for Water & Energy Education Haiku Contest.
He has been teaching himself to play the ukulele (with limited success) since 2003.